Alexander Baranov was a Russian native, born
in 1747. He grew to be a successful merchant in Irkutsk, Siberia, but he was lured
to Alaska by the region's rapidly expanding fur trading industry.

Baranov became quite successful in his Alaskan
ventures also. He established and managed trading posts throughout the Kodiak Island region. He set
up trading posts in Saint Paul's Harbor, Cook Inlet, and Prince William Sound, and
was instrumental in establishing colonies throughout the region.

In 1799 he became chief manager for the profitable
and influential Russian American Company, and over saw all of Alaska, including the
Aleutian and Kurile Islands. Activity in the region flourished as trading in sea otters
and seals boomed.

In addition to establishing trading centers and
presiding over vast expanses of territory, Baranov is credited with organizing native
Alaskan hunters to expand their range to include the coasts of California. Baranov also
advocated more educational opportunities for native Alaskans. Under his leadership, schools
were created and frontier communities became less isolated.

Toward the end of his life, Baranov said goodbye
to the adopted land where he lived for 28 years, and headed back to Russia by heading South
and then sailing around the Cape of Good Hope. Unfortunately, Baranov became very ill
on the journey, and died in Java, far from both his native and his adopted lands.